Enhancing Resource Recovery through Electro-Assisted Regeneration of an Ammonia-Selective Cation Exchange Resin

Ammonia-selective adsorbents can manage reactive nitrogen in the environment and promote a circular nutrient economy. Weak acid cation exchangers loaded with zinc exhibit high ammonia selectivity but face two implementation barriers: the stability of the zinc–carboxylate bond in complex wastewaters and energy- and logistics-intensive adsorbent regeneration with acidic solutions. In this study, we examined the stability of zinc–carboxylate bonds in varying solutions (pure ammonium solution, synthetic urine, and real urine) and during electro-assisted regeneration. For electrochemical regeneration, both electrolyte concentration and current density influenced the trade-off between ammonia regeneration and zinc elution. Using 10 mM K2SO4 anolyte at a 0.08 mA/cm2 current density, we achieved 4% zinc elution and 61% ammonia regeneration. In contrast, using 100 mM K2SO4 at 4.96 mA/cm2 improved the regeneration efficiency to 97% but eluted 60% of zinc. We found that electrolyte concentration was the key factor influencing the regeneration efficiency of the NH3-selective adsorbents. Due to prevalent zinc elution, we designed an in situ procedure for reforming the zinc–carboxylate bond and achieved similar adsorption densities between pre- and post-regenerated resins, thus enabling multiple cycle resin use. Ultimately, this study advances understanding of ammonia-selective resins that can facilitate high-purity, selective, and durable recovery of nutrients from waste streams.